INVITED REVIEW: Nutritional and management factors that influence colostrum production and composition in dairy cows.

Colostrum is a rich source of nutritional and non-nutritional components and is recognized as essential to transfer passive immunity to newborn calves. Because of the individual and seasonal variability in colostrum yield and composition, maintaining an adequate supply of high-quality colostrum year-round remains a challenge for commercial dairy producers. In this narrative review, we described the individual, seasonal, and herd-level variability of colostrum production and summarized the association between individual animal factors such as parity, sex of the calf, calf birth weight, as well as indicators of the cow's metabolic status and the yield and composition of colostrum. Further, we reviewed the current knowledge on the influence of prepartum nutrition and management strategies on colostrum production. Research on the metabolizable energy and protein supplied in the prepartum diet as well as into the inclusion and source of vitamins, minerals, and feed additives suggests prepartum nutrition influences the yield, quality, and composition of colostrum. Furthermore, the prepartum environment and dry period length remain influential factors in the production of colostrum. However, additional research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which prepartum nutrition and management affects colostrum production. Lastly, time to colostrum harvest and oxytocin administration as well as the current knowledge on the effect of heat-treatment and colostrum storage strategies on colostral components were discussed. To conclude, we identify critical gaps in knowledge for future focus of investigation in colostrum research.

Effects of a 12-week telehealth exercise intervention on gait speed and gait deviations in adults with Down syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Altered gait patterns and reduced walking speed are commonly reported in adults with Down syndrome (DS). Research on the effects of DS-specific exercise programmes on adults with DS is lacking. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the changes in gait deviations and walking speed in adults with DS after a DS-specific exercise programme. METHODS: Twenty participants underwent a 12-week, DS-specific exercise programme in a telehealth format. Before and after the intervention, gait deviations were assessed with the Ranchos Los Amigos Observational Gait Analysis form, and comfortable walking speed was evaluated with the 4-m walk test. RESULTS: We observed increased comfortable walking speed and reduced gait deviations in the whole gait cycle in adults with DS after the intervention. There were fewer gait deviations during single-leg stance and swing-limb advancement and at the hip, knee and ankle joints after the 12-week exercise programme. CONCLUSIONS: Gait speed and observable gait impairments in adults with DS significantly improved following a 12-week telehealth exercise programme.

Natural killer cytotoxicity in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a multi-site clinical assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM) sub-study.

BACKGROUND: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a multisystem illness characterized by substantial reduction in function accompanied by profound unexplained fatigue not significantly relieved by rest, post-exertional malaise, and other symptoms. Reduced natural killer (NK) cell count and cytotoxicity has been investigated as a biomarker for ME/CFS, but few clinical laboratories offer the test and multi-site verification studies have not been conducted. METHODS: We determined NK cell counts and cytotoxicity in 174 (65%) ME/CFS, 86 (32%) healthy control (HC) and 10 (3.7%) participants with other fatigue associated conditions (ill control [IC]) from the Multi-Site Clinical Assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM) study using an assay validated for samples shipped overnight instead of testing on day of venipuncture. RESULTS: We found a large variation in percent cytotoxicity [mean and (IQR) for ME/CFS and HC respectively, 34.1% (IQR 22.4-44.3%) and 33.6% (IQR 22.9-43.7%)] and no statistically significant differences between patients with ME/CFS and HC (p-value = 0.79). Analysis stratified on illness domain measured with standardized questionnaires did not identify an association of NK cytotoxicity with domain scores. Among all participants, NK cytotoxicity was not associated with survey results of physical and mental well-being, or health factors such as history of infection, obesity, smoking, and co-morbid conditions. CONCLUSION: These results indicate this assay is not ready for clinical implementation and studies are needed to further explore immune parameters that may be involved in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS.

Are physical performance and frailty assessments useful in targeting and improving access to adjuvant therapy in patients undergoing resection for pancreatic cancer?

BACKGROUND: Many patients fail to receive adjuvant chemotherapy following pancreatic cancer surgery. This study implemented a multimodal, multidisciplinary approach to improving recovery after pancreatoduodenectomy (the 'Fast Recovery' programme) and measured its impact on adjuvant chemotherapy uptake and nutritional decline. The predictive accuracies of a bundle of frailty and physical performance assessments, with respect to the recipient of adjuvant chemotherapy, were also evaluated. RESULTS: The N = 44 patients treated after the introduction of the 'Fast Recovery' programme were not found to have a significantly higher adjuvant chemotherapy uptake than the N = 409 treated before the pathway change (80.5 vs. 74.3%, p = 0.452), but did have a significantly lower average weight loss at six weeks post-operatively (mean: 4.3 vs. 6.9 kg, p = 0.013). Of the pre-operative frailty and physical performance assessments tested, the 6-min walk test was found to be the strongest predictor of the receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy (area under the ROC curve: 0.91, p = 0.001); all patients achieving distances ≥ 360 m went on to receive adjuvant chemotherapy, compared to 33% of those walking < 360 m. CONCLUSIONS: The multimodal 'Fast Recovery' programme was not found to significantly improve access to adjuvant chemotherapy, but did appear to have benefits in reducing nutritional decline. Pre-operative assessments were found to be useful in identifying patients at risk of non-receipt of adjuvant therapies, with markers of physical performance appearing to be the best predictors. As such, these markers could be useful in targeting pre- and post-habilitation measures, such as physiotherapy and improved dietetic support.

Epidemiology of bovine colostrum production in New York Holstein herds: Prepartum nutrition and metabolic indicators.

Colostrum yield and quality are influenced by prepartum nutrition and the metabolic status of the cow; however, data considering these associations on multiple dairy farms are limited. Our objective was to identify cow-level prepartum metabolic indicators, as well as farm-level nutritional strategies associated with colostrum yield and the indicator of colostrum quality, Brix %. A convenience sample of 19 New York Holstein dairies (median: 1,325 cows; range: 620 to 4,600 cows) were enrolled in this observational study. Records for individual colostrum yield and Brix % were collected by farm personnel between October 2019 and February 2021. Farms were visited 4 times, approximately 3 mo apart, to obtain feed samples of the prepartum diets, collect blood samples from 24 pre- and postpartum cows, respectively, and determine prepartum body condition score. Feed samples were submitted for analysis of chemical composition, and particle size was determined on-farm using a particle separator. Prepartum serum samples (n = 762) were analyzed for glucose and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations. Whole blood from postpartum cows was analyzed for herd prevalence of hyperketonemia (proportion of samples with ß-hydroxybutyrate ≥1.2 mmol/L). A cohort of primiparous (PP; n = 1,337) and multiparous (MPS; n = 3,059) cows calving ± 14 d of each farm visit were included in the statistical analysis. Animals calving in this period were assigned results for the close-up diet composition and herd prevalence of hyperketonemia collected from the respective farm visit. Greatest colostrum yield from PP and MPS cows was associated with moderate starch [18.6-22.5% of dry matter (DM)] and a moderate herd prevalence of hyperketonemia (10.1-15.0%). Greatest colostrum yield from MPS cows was associated with moderate crude protein (13.6-15.5% of DM) and a less severe negative dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD; >-8 mEq/100 g), whereas greatest colostrum yield from PP cows was associated with low crude protein (≤13.5% of DM). In addition, a moderate proportion of the diet with particle length ≥19 mm (15.3-19.1%) was associated with lowest colostrum yield from PP and MPS cows. Highest colostrum Brix % was associated with prepartum dietary factors of low neutral detergent fiber (≤39.0% of DM) and high proportion of the diet with particle length ≥19 mm (>19.1%). In addition, low starch (≤18.5% of DM) and low and moderate DCAD level (≥-15.9 mEq/100 g) were associated with greatest Brix % from PP cows, whereas moderate DCAD (-15.9 to -8.0 mEq/100 g) was associated with greatest Brix % from MPS cows. Prepartum serum nonesterified fatty acid concentration ≥290 µEq/L was associated with increased colostrum yield, but prepartum serum glucose concentration and body condition score were not associated with colostrum yield or Brix %. These data provide nutritional and metabolic variables to consider when troubleshooting colostrum production on farms.

Leukocytes, microRNA, and complement activity in raw, heat-treated, and frozen colostrum and their dynamics as colostrum transitions to mature milk in dairy cows.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the abundance and viability of leukocytes, the abundance of microRNA, and the activity of the complement pathway in (1) colostrum following heat-treatment or freezing, and (2) colostrum, transition milk, and mature milk. In experiment 1, composite colostrum samples were harvested from individual cows (n = 14) on a commercial dairy farm in NY and split into 3 aliquots using single-use colostrum bags. One aliquot was immediately cooled on ice following harvest (RAW) and stored at 4°C overnight, one was heat-treated for 60 min at 60°C (HT) before being cooled on ice and stored at 4°C overnight, and one was frozen at -20°C overnight (FR). The following morning, all samples were warmed to 40°C before further processing. In experiment 2, cows were sampled in a longitudinal study where composite samples were collected from colostrum (first milking, n = 23), transition milk (3 to 4 d postpartum, n = 13), and mature milk (6 to 7 d postpartum, n = 13). In both experiments colostrum was harvested from the first milking within 8 h of calving and samples were processed within 14 h of collection. Colostral leukocytes were isolated before viability was determined by trypan blue exclusion and manual differential cell counts were performed. Extracellular vesicles were isolated from whey by ultracentrifugation to isolate and quantify microRNA. Activity of the alternative complement pathway was determined in casein-depleted whey by semi-solid phase hemolysis assay. Somatic cell counts were determined for all raw samples. Macrophages and neutrophils made up the greatest proportion of leukocytes in colostrum followed by lymphocytes. Lymphocyte proportion increased as colostrum transitioned to mature milk, but overall somatic cell numbers declined concurrently. Viable cells were not isolated from HT or FR samples. Abundance of microRNA isolated from transition and mature milk was decreased compared with colostrum, did not differ between HT and RAW, but was increased in FR compared with RAW. Alternative complement pathway activity was decreased in HT, but not FR compared with RAW, and was not measurable in transition or mature milk. Postharvest heat-treatment and freezing of colostrum eliminated viable colostral leukocytes and affected microRNA abundance and complement activity. Leukocyte proportions, microRNA abundance, and complement activity changed as colostrum transitioned to mature milk. Although there were clear changes in the colostral components under study in relation to treatment and transition to mature milk, the biological significance of the described treatment effects and temporal changes were not investigated here.

Epidemiology of bovine colostrum production in New York Holstein herds: Cow, management, and environmental factors.

Adequate supply of high-quality colostrum is essential for calf health. Colostrum production, at first milking, varies between animals and seasons, but herd-level and management associations with colostrum production have not been well described. Our objectives were to (1) describe colostrum production and colostrum handling practices and (2) to identify individual cow, herd management, and environmental factors associated with colostrum production. A convenience sample of 19 New York Holstein dairy farms (620 to 4,600 cows) were enrolled in this observational study to describe colostrum production and to evaluate cow, management, and prepartum environmental factors associated with colostrum yield and Brix %. Herd owners or managers were given a colostrum management questionnaire, and farm personnel recorded individual colostrum yield and Brix % for primiparous (PP; n = 5,978) and multiparous (MPS; n = 13,228) cows between October 2019 and February 2021. Temperature, relative humidity, and light intensity were measured by sensors placed in each farm's close-up dry cow pens for the entire length of the study. Median colostrum yield for each farm ranged from 2.5 to 7.6 kg for PP and 4.0 to 7.7 kg for MPS cows. Mean Brix % from each farm ranged from 22.2 to 27.9% for PP and 22.0 to 28.8% for MPS cows. Lowest colostrum yield from PP animals was associated with calf sex (female) and colostrum Brix % (≤22%). Greatest colostrum yield from MPS cows was associated with colostrum Brix % (≤22%), calf sex (twin), dry period length (>67 d), gestation length (283-293 d), an alive calf, second parity, previous lactation length (>344 d) and previous lactation 305-d mature equivalent milk yield (>13,091 kg), heat and humidity exposure area under the curve (AUC) 7 d before calving (>69.2 average temperature-humidity index per 30-min interval), and light intensity AUC 14 d before calving (>154.2 average lux per 15-min interval). Greatest colostrum Brix % from PP animals was associated with calf sex (male), an alive calf, and light intensity AUC 14 d before calving (≤64.0 average lux per 15-min interval). Greatest colostrum Brix % from MPS cows was associated with dry period length (>67 d), an alive calf, 305-d mature equivalent milk yield of previous lactation (≤15,862 kg), gestation length (274-282 d), colostrum yield (<6 kg), fifth or greater parity, and heat and humidity exposure AUC 7 d before calving (≤50.1 average temperature-humidity index per 30-min interval). Dairy producers can use this information to recognize the variation in colostrum production and alter colostrum management programs in anticipation of periods of low production or quality.

Eucalcemia during lipopolysaccharide challenge in postpartum dairy cows: I. Clinical, inflammatory, and metabolic response.

Hypocalcemia induced by immune activation is a conserved response across mammalian species; however, administration of Ca is discouraged in other species as it is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Early postpartum cows experience a decrease in circulating Ca concentration following acute inflammation. Corrective Ca therapy during the transition period, particularly in dairy cows experiencing acute disease, is common practice. However, the effect of Ca administration on the inflammatory response during acute immune activation is unknown. Our objective was to compare the clinical, inflammatory, and metabolic response to an intravenous (IV) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge between postpartum cows infused, or not, with IV Ca to maintain eucalcemia. Cows (n = 14, 8 ± 1 d in milk) were enrolled in a matched-pair randomized controlled design to receive IV Ca (IVCa) or sterile 0.9% NaCl (CTRL) during an IV LPS challenge (0.040 or 0.045 µg of LPS/kg of body weight over 1 h). Ionized Ca (iCa) was monitored cow-side, and IV Ca infusion was adjusted in a eucalcemic clamp for 12 h following the start of LPS infusion. Cows were monitored during the 24 h following challenge and serial blood samples were collected to quantify concentrations of glucose, ß-hydroxybutyrate, nonesterified fatty acids, urea nitrogen, cytokines, acute-phase proteins, and cortisol. Blood iCa concentration decreased to 0.87 ± 0.03 mM in CTRL during challenge, and by design, iCa concentration was maintained within 3% of baseline in IVCa. Body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate were monitored for 24 h following the start of challenge and did not differ between groups. A treatment × time interaction was identified such that serum cortisol concentrations increased in both groups at 2 h but decreased to a greater extent at 6 h in IVCa compared with CTRL. Rumination time (min/h) over the first 12 h following challenge was greater in IVCa, but total rumination time in the 24 h following challenge did not differ from CTRL. Serum glucose and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations decreased, and ß-hydroxybutyrate and urea nitrogen concentrations increased over time, but did not differ between groups. Acute leukopenia occurred in both groups at 4 h before leukocytosis was observed at 24 h with total white blood cell counts returning to baseline within 72 h. Plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) increased within 1 h following the start of challenge and did not differ between groups. Serum haptoglobin and serum amyloid A concentrations increased within the 24 h following challenge and were elevated through 72 h but did not differ between groups. Eucalcemia during the acute systemic inflammatory response did not alter the TNF or IL-10 cytokine response, or the acute-phase protein SAA and haptoglobin response in this LPS challenge model; however, eucalcemia was associated with a more rapid decline in cortisol response and greater rumination time in the first 12 h following challenge. We did not find evidence that eucalcemia exacerbated the inflammatory response in early postpartum cows, but Ca administration may alter the clinical response to acute systemic inflammation.

Eucalcemia during lipopolysaccharide challenge in postpartum dairy cows: II. Calcium dynamics.

Hypocalcemia induced by immune activation is a conserved response among mammals. Early postpartum cows will experience decreased circulating Ca concentrations following acute immune activation; however, the cause for decreased Ca concentration is unknown. Our objectives were to (1) describe Ca dynamics following an intravenous (IV) LPS challenge in early postpartum cows, and (2) compare inflammatory-induced changes in Ca dynamics between IV Ca-treated cows and control cows. Cows (n = 14, 8 ± 1 d in milk) were enrolled in a matched-pair randomized controlled design to receive IV Ca (IVCa) in a eucalcemic clamp for 12 h, or 0.9% NaCl (CTRL) following an IV LPS infusion (0.040 or 0.045 µg of LPS/kg of body weight over 1 h). During the 24 h following LPS infusion, circulating concentrations of parathyroid hormone and serotonin were measured, serum and urine samples were collected to calculate urinary fractional excretion of Ca (FECa), and fecal samples were collected to calculate Ca apparent digestibility (ADCa) using amylase-treated and ash-corrected undigested neutral detergent fiber after 240 h (uNDFom240) as an internal marker. Changes in Ca intake and milk Ca secretion were also quantified and compared with baseline values. Cows were fasted during challenge and dry matter intake was 20 ± 5% less than baseline values on the day of challenge and did not differ between groups. On the day of challenge, milk Ca concentration increased, but milk yield decreased such that total Ca secreted in milk did not change from baseline. Urine FECa was low overall, but an interaction of treatment and time was identified such that FECa increased in IVCa but decreased in CTRL. Concentrations of parathyroid hormone increased and serotonin decreased following challenge. Fecal dry matter decreased from baseline, but did not differ between 6, 12, and 24 h, and did not differ between groups. An interaction of treatment and time was identified for ADCa and apparent digestibility of dry matter such that digestibility was decreased in CTRL but not IVCa at 6 h. Acute immune activation induced hypocalcemia in CTRL, and although urinary Ca excretion was not a primary cause, it is unclear to what degree hypocalcemia was due to altered ADCa. Eucalcemia appeared to alter adaptations in Ca homeostasis during immune activation as FECa was increased in IVCa animals.

Feasibility Assessment of a School Nurse-Led Approach Using Chronic Absenteeism to Establish the School-Based Active Surveillance Process.

This article shares what was learned from the feasibility assessment of a nurse-led school-based active surveillance (SBAS) pilot to track chronic absenteeism using myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) as an exemplar. This pilot encompassed a 3-year period with training and feedback from school nurses (SNs) on data collection and ME/CFS. SNs found that the SBAS process helped them effectively identifying undiagnosed conditions. The assessment revealed the importance of focusing outreach efforts and establishing relationships with the school leadership in developing health policies and programs in the school setting. The pilot data were used to develop a manual to guide SNs for the SBAS process. This can be viewed as a model for SNs in establishing a surveillance to identify and track conditions like ME/CFS. With overlapping symptoms of Long COVID to ME/CFS, this assessment may provide insights for additional efforts to understand the impact of Long COVID on students' education.

Waste management model for COVID-19: recommendations for future threats.

The change in habits and lifestyle of citizens during health crisis like COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented increase in the struggles for solid waste management across the globe. Not only underdeveloped and developing economies are struggling with the challenges posed by mounting piles of infectious waste but even developed countries are adversely affected in similar manner. The routine waste management strategies followed by various countries are overturned due extremely altered trends in the amount and type of waste generated by households and medical facilities. The aim of this paper is to study and list the best available waste management policies adopted by some developing, developed and underdeveloped economies. The listed case studies were selected due to some unique steps undertaken for solid waste disposal during pandemic. The findings revealed that the guidelines issued by WHO for waste management of corona virus infected waste were followed by these nations and certain additional preventive steps were taken. Due to unavailability of single framework as prescribed by international authorities, various sustainable steps taken by individual countries to curb the pandemic menace can be useful in the present context. Few of these measures can be permanently adopted at global level by other nations for handling the pandemic like situations efficiently in pandemic situations.

Physiological assessment of orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Orthostatic intolerance-OI is common in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-ME/CFS. We used a 10-min passive vertical lean test as orthostatic challenge-OC and measured changes in vitals and end tidal CO2 (eTCO2). An abnormal physiologic response to OC was identified in 60% of the 63 patients evaluated from one to three times over several years. Hypocapnia, either resting or induced by OC, was the most frequent abnormality, followed by postural orthostatic tachycardia. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the physiologic response of patients with ME/CFS to a standardized OC. DESIGN: Respiratory and heart rate, blood pressure and eTCO2 were recorded twice at the end of 10-min supine rest and then every minute during the 10-min lean. Hypocapnia was eTCO2 ≤ 32 mmHg. Orthostatic tachycardia was heart rate increase ≥ 30 beats per minute compared with resting or ≥ 120 BPM. Orthostatic hypotension was decreased systolic pressure ≥ 20 mmHg from baseline. Tachypnea was respiratory rate of  ≥ 20 breaths per minute-either supine or leaning. Questionnaire data on symptom severity, quality of life and mood were collected at visit #2. PATIENTS: 63 consecutive patients fulfilling the 1994 case definition for CFS underwent lean testing at first visit and then annually at visit 2 (n = 48) and 3 (n = 29). MEASURES: Supine hypocapnia; orthostatic tachycardia, hypocapnia or hypotension. RESULTS: The majority of ME/CFS patients (60.3%, 38/63) had an abnormality detected during a lean test at any visit (51%, 50% and 45% at visits 1, 2 and 3, respectively). Hypocapnia at rest or induced by OC was more common and more likely to persist than postural orthostatic tachycardia. Anxiety scores did not differ between those with and without hypocapnia. CONCLUSIONS: The 10-min lean test is useful in evaluation of OI in patients with ME/CFS. The most frequent abnormality, hypocapnia, would be missed without capnography.

Assessing sleep and pain among adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® sleep and pain short forms.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the patient-reported outcome measurement information system® (PROMIS) short forms for assessing sleep disturbance, sleep-related impairment, pain interference, and pain behavior, among adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). METHODS: Data came from the Multi-Site ME/CFS study conducted between 2012 and 2020 at seven ME/CFS specialty clinics across the USA. Baseline and follow-up data from ME/CFS and healthy control (HC) groups were used to examine ceiling/floor effects, internal consistency reliability, differential item functioning (DIF), known-groups validity, and responsiveness. RESULTS: A total of 945 participants completed the baseline assessment (602 ME/CFS and 338 HC) and 441 ME/CFS also completed the follow-up. The baseline mean T-scores of PROMIS sleep and pain measures ranged from 57.68 to 62.40, about one standard deviation above the national norm (T-score = 50). All four measures showed high internal consistency (ω = 0.92 to 0.97) and no substantial floor/ceiling effects. No DIF was detected by age or sex. Known-groups comparisons among ME/CFS groups with low, medium, and high functional impairment showed significant small-sized differences in scores (η2 = 0.01 to 0.05) for the two sleep measures and small-to-medium-sized differences (η2 = 0.01 to 0.15) for the two pain measures. ME/CFS participants had significantly worse scores than HC (η2 = 0.35 to 0.45) for all four measures. Given the non-interventional nature of the study, responsiveness was evaluated as sensitivity to change over time and the pain interference measure showed an acceptable sensitivity. CONCLUSION: The PROMIS sleep and pain measures demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties supporting their use in ME/CFS research and clinical practice.

The impact of signposting and group support pathways on a community-based physical activity intervention grounded in motivational interviewing.

BACKGROUND: Brief advice is recommended to increase physical activity (PA) within primary care. This study assessed change in PA levels and mental well-being after a motivational interviewing (MI) community-based PA intervention and the impact of signposting (SP) and social action (SA) (i.e. weekly group support) pathways. METHODS: Participants (n = 2084) took part in a community-based, primary care PA programme using MI techniques. Self-reported PA and mental well-being data were collected at baseline (following an initial 30-min MI appointment), 12 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. Participants were assigned based upon the surgery they attended to the SP or SA pathway. Multilevel models derived point estimates and 95% confidence intervals for outcomes at each time point and change scores. RESULTS: Participants increased PA and mental well-being at each follow-up time point through both participant pathways and with little difference between pathways. Retention was similar between pathways at 12 weeks, but the SP pathway retained more participants at 6 and 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Both pathways produced similar improvements in PA and mental well-being; however, the addition of a control would have provided further insight as to the effectiveness. Due to lower resources yet similar effects, the SP pathway could be incorporated to support PA in primary care settings.

Symposium review: The role of adipose tissue in transition dairy cows: Current knowledge and future opportunities.

Adipose tissue (AT) is a central reservoir of energy stored in the form of lipids. In addition, AT has been recognized as an immunologically and endocrinologically active tissue of dairy cattle. The recent literature on AT biology of transition dairy cows has often focused on the possible negative effects that originate from excessive body fat. However, the highly efficient energy-storage capability of this tissue is also vital to the adaptability of dairy cattle to the change in nutrient availability, and to support lactation and reproduction. An excessive degree of mobilization of this tissue, however, is associated with high circulating fatty acid concentrations, and this may have direct and indirect negative effects on reproductive health, productivity, and disease risk. Furthermore, rapid lipolysis may be associated with postpartum inflammation. Research on the role of AT is complicated by the greater difficulty of accessing and measuring visceral AT compared with subcutaneous AT. The objective of this review is to provide a transition cow-centric summary of AT biology with a focus on reviewing methods of measuring AT mass as well as to describe the importance for production, health, and reproductive success.

Transition cow nutrition and management strategies of dairy herds in the northeastern United States: Part I-Herd description and performance characteristics.

Our objective was to describe management and herd characteristics of the transition period on freestall dairy herds in the northeastern United States using an on-farm survey and prospective cohort design. Enrolled herds (n = 72) had a median of 900 milking cows (range: 345-2,900) and a rolling herd average of 12,674 kg (standard deviation ± 1,220 kg), and 87.2% (n = 82/94) of fresh pens were milked at least 3×/d. The prevalence of herds with ≥15% of sampled cows with elevated concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids prepartum (≥0.27 mmol/L, 2-14 d before parturition) and postpartum [primiparous: ≥0.60 mmol/L, multiparous: ≥0.70 mmol/L, 3-14 d in milk (DIM)], ß-hydroxybutyrate postpartum (≥1.2 mmol/L, 3-14 DIM), and haptoglobin postpartum (≥1 g/L, 0-12 DIM) was 51%, 51%, 51%, and 57%, respectively. In most herds, cows were moved to a calving pen when showing signs of labor (73.6%; n = 53/72) instead of 0 to 3 d before expected calving (26.4%, n = 19/72). Cows remained in the calving or maternity pen for a median (range) time of 2 (0-24) h after parturition before moving to the next pen. Primiparous cows remained in the first pen moved to after parturition for a longer period than multiparous cows [median (range) days: 12 (1.5-25) vs. 6 (1.5-22)]. Approximately 20% of herds had routine vaccinations administered in the maternity or calving pen, first pen after parturition, or both. Almost all herds (n = 69/72) performed fresh cow health checks; however, only 53% (n = 38/72) locked up all fresh cows daily. More herds housed primiparous and multiparous cows in separate pens during the far-off dry (65.3%; n = 47/72) and high-lactation (81.9%; n = 59/72) periods compared with the close-up dry (31.9%; n = 23/72) and fresh periods (27.8%; n = 20/72). At least half of the pens observed during the far-off dry, close-up dry, and fresh periods had a stocking density <100%. Approximately one-third of pens observed during the far-off dry period had feed pushed up ≤4×/d compared with approximately 15 to 20% of pens observed during the close-up dry, fresh, and high-lactation periods. More than half of the total mixed ration samples acquired from the far-off and close-up dry period visits had greater than the recommended proportion of particles in the 19-mm screen of the Penn State Particle Separator. The results of this observational study illustrated the range of management practices used in freestall herds in this region and lay the groundwork for future hypothesis-driven studies using this sampled population.

Lipopolysaccharide challenge following intravenous amino acid infusion in postpartum dairy cows: II. Clinical and inflammatory responses.

Amino acids (AA) are integral nutrients for a functioning immune system. Postpartum cows experience AA deficits early postpartum that may influence the response to immune activation. This study investigated the clinical and inflammatory responses to a systemic inflammatory stimulus after a 4-d intravenous (IV) AA infusion with a mix of essential and nonessential AA designed to ameliorate the estimated metabolizable protein deficit in early postpartum cows. Our objectives were (1) to describe the clinical and inflammatory response to an acute IV lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in early postpartum cows, and (2) to compare these clinical and inflammatory responses between IV AA-treated and control cows. Cows (n = 14, 4 ± 1 d in milk) were continuously infused IV for 4 d in a matched-pair randomized controlled design and received 0.9% NaCl (CTRL) or IV AA (IVAA) to supply 1 g/kg of BW per day of combined essential and nonessential AA. After infusion ended, cows were challenged with IV LPS (0.0625 µg/kg of BW over 1 h), and serial blood samples were collected for complete blood cell counts and to quantify plasma cytokines and acute-phase proteins. Body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate were monitored for 24 h during challenge. During challenge, maximum body temperature was greater in IVAA (41.3 ± 0.20°C) than in CTRL (40.6 ± 0.19°C). In both groups, respiratory rate increased during the first 2 h following challenge, whereas heart rate first decreased over the first 2 h and then increased to reach a maximum at 4 h. Acute leucopenia occurred within 1 h of challenge in both groups before leukocytosis was observed at 24 h, with white blood cell counts returning to baseline values within 72 h. Plasma haptoglobin and serum amyloid A concentrations increased 3-fold and 4-fold in both groups and peaked at 48 and 24 h following challenge, respectively. Plasma concentrations of TNF-α and IL-10 increased within 1 h and peaked at 2 h following the start of challenge. Plasma IL-10 concentrations increased to a greater extent in CTRL compared with IVAA during challenge. Despite differences in IL-10 concentration, previous AA infusion did not alter the acute-phase protein response to LPS challenge. We conclude that AA infusion before systemic inflammatory challenge decreased the anti-inflammatory response but did not alter concentrations of other systemic markers of inflammation.

Transition cow nutrition and management strategies of dairy herds in the northeastern United States: Part II-Associations of metabolic- and inflammation-related analytes with health, milk yield, and reproduction.

The objectives were as follows: (1) establish cow-level thresholds for prepartum nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and postpartum NEFA, ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and haptoglobin (Hp) concentrations associated with negative health events; (2) evaluate cow-level associations between biomarkers and 305-d mature equivalent milk at the fourth test day (ME305) and reproductive performance; and (3) identify herd-alarm levels (proportion of cows sampled above the critical threshold) for biomarkers that are associated with herd-level changes in disorder incidence (displaced abomasum and clinical ketosis), reproductive performance, and ME305. In a prospective cohort study, 1,473 cows from 72 farms were enrolled from the northeastern United States. Blood samples were collected from the same 11 to 24 cows per herd during the late-prepartum and early-postpartum periods. Whole blood was analyzed for postpartum BHB concentrations; plasma was analyzed for prepartum and postpartum NEFA and postpartum Hp concentrations. Critical thresholds for the biomarkers associated with health events for all cows were established using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Poisson, linear mixed effects, and Cox proportional hazards models investigated the association of the biomarkers with health and performance. The prepartum NEFA and Hp threshold associated with culling was ≥0.17 mmol/L and 0.45 g/L, respectively. The postpartum NEFA and BHB thresholds associated with diagnosis of metritis, displaced abomasum, or clinical ketosis were ≥0.46 mmol/L and ≥0.9 mmol/L, respectively. Multiparous cows with prepartum NEFA concentration ≥0.17 mmol/L produced 479 kg less ME305. Multiparous and primiparous cows with postpartum NEFA concentration ≥0.46 mmol/L produced 280 kg less and 446 kg more ME305, respectively. Cows with BHB concentration ≥0.9 and ≥1.1 mmol/L produced 552 kg more ME305 and had a 20% decreased risk of pregnancy within 150 d in milk, respectively; however, multiparous cows with BHB concentration ≥1.5 mmol/L produced 376 kg less ME305. Cows with Hp concentration ≥0.45 g/L produced 492 kg less ME305 and had 28% decreased risk of pregnancy within 150 DIM. Cows with Hp concentration ≥0.45 g/L had 19% decreased pregnancy risk to first service (PRFS). Herds above the herd-alarm levels for prepartum NEFA had a 6.0-percentage unit increase in disorder incidence and a 6.0-percentage unit decrease in 21-d pregnancy rate (PR) for multiparous cows, a 3.9-percentage unit increase in PR and a 5.8-percentage unit increase in the probability of pregnancy for primiparous cows. Herds above the herd-alarm levels for postpartum NEFA had a 5.8- and 4.2-percentage unit increase in disorder incidence for multiparous and primiparous cows, respectively, a 789 kg decrease in ME305 for multiparous cows, and a 6.8- and 6.3-percentage unit decrease and increase in PR and PRFS for multiparous cows, respectively. Herds above the herd-alarm levels for BHB had an 8.5-percentage unit increase in disorder incidence, a 332 and 229 kg increase in ME305 for primiparous and multiparous cows, respectively, and a 3.2-, 5.2-, and 7.0-percentage unit decrease in PR, probability of pregnancy, and PRFS, respectively. Herds above the herd-alarm levels for postpartum Hp had a 5.3-percentage unit increase in disorder incidence. At the cow level and herd level, elevated biomarker concentrations were associated with an increased disorder risk and varied performance responses.

Lipopolysaccharide challenge following intravenous amino acid infusion in postpartum dairy cows: I. Production, metabolic, and hormonal responses.

Postpartum cows experience a nadir in energy and AA deficit early postpartum. At the same time, cows are challenged with inflammatory stimuli and often show heightened immune responsiveness, further increasing their metabolic needs during this critical time. This study investigated the response to a systemic inflammatory stimulus after a 4-d intravenous (IV) AA infusion designed to ameliorate the estimated metabolizable protein (MP) deficit in postpartum cows. Our objectives were to (1) describe the production and metabolic responses to early postpartum IV AA infusion, (2) determine the metabolic and hormonal responses to an acute IV lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in early postpartum cows, and (3) compare these metabolic and hormonal responses between IV AA treated and control cows. Cows (n = 14, 4 ± 1 d in milk) were continuously IV infused for 4 d in a matched-pair randomized controlled design and received IV AA (IVAA) or 0.9% NaCl (CTRL). Treatment with IV AA consisted of 1 g/kg of BW per day of combined essential AA (EAA) and nonessential AA (NEAA). After infusion ended, cows were challenged IV with LPS (0.0625 µg/kg of BW over 1 h), and serial blood samples were collected to quantify AA, metabolite, and hormone concentrations. Amino acid infusion increased plasma EAA and NEAA concentrations and ameliorated the estimated MP deficit but not the metabolizable energy deficit in IVAA cows. Patterns of dry matter intake during infusion were different between groups. Milk yield and milk protein content and yield were unaffected, but IV AA was associated with increased milk fat content and yield of both de novo and preformed fatty acids. Before LPS infusion, plasma EAA and NEAA concentrations were greater in IVAA compared with CTRL. During LPS challenge, plasma AA concentrations decreased to a greater degree in IVAA than CTRL. Glucagon concentrations were greater and glucose concentrations lower in IVAA during challenge; however, previous AA infusion did not affect the time-dependent changes in concentrations of energy metabolites or glucoregulatory hormones. Plasma urea nitrogen concentration increased in both treatments following challenge, although the temporal pattern depended on treatment. Effects of AA infusion on milk fat response were pronounced and likely due to a combination of increased lipolysis and de novo milk fat synthesis. Despite differences in circulating concentrations of nutrients and hormones before challenge, metabolic responses to systemic inflammation did not differ between the 2 treatments. We conclude that AA infusion changed metabolic status and milk fat but did not appear to alter the metabolic response to subsequent systemic inflammation.

Cellular carbon stress is a mediator of obesity-associated osteoarthritis development.

OBJECTIVE: 'Carbon stress' is a newly found mechanism that links obesity and dysregulated metabolism. It is defined as the cellular accumulation of metabolites during obesity post-translationally modifying metabolic proteins and decreasing their enzymatic activity. The objective of this study was to investigate if 'carbon stress' also occurs in cartilage and contributes to obesity associated OA development. METHODS: We histologically evaluated for OA pathology in wild-type (WT) and hyperphagic mice (Pomc-neuron specific enhancer one deficient, PomcΔ1) that were subjected to standard chow (Chow, n = 6 for both genotypes) or high-fat feeding (HFD, n = 7 for both genotypes). Joints were stained and quantified for 'carbon stress' markers, including succinyl-lysine (SCK), malonyl-lysine (MAK), and acetyl-lysine (ACK). Lastly, we used a mouse model with deletion of Sirt5 (n = 7), which is an enzyme that removes SCK and MAK, to test if changing the abundance of 'carbon stress' would affect OA pathogenesis. RESULTS: Both HFD and Pomc deficiency associated obesity induced cartilage degeneration as well as greater abundance of SCK and MAK in the cartilage. PomcΔ1-HFD mice did not have exacerbated OA pathology as compared to PomcΔ1-Chow mice. ACK was mildly increased in the obese groups comparing to WT-Chow. Sirt5-/- mice developed early-OA like phenotype at 40 weeks of age as characterized by cartilage fibrillation and more hypertrophic chondrocytes. Cartilage from Sirt5-/- mice also had increased SCK and MAK, while ACK remained unchanged comparing to WT mice. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that carbon stress also occurs in cartilage tissue during obesity and can potentially contribute to obesity-associated OA.